What Could Have Been
by UnwrittenDeath
Summary: Harry took Sirius' spot in death. Now that he's back, Death has a job for him. He needs to find Deathly Hallows and return it to it's creator. But there's a requirement for that too. And his body isn't in the greatest conditions. Sirius is the cause. He could be his remedy also. SBHP
1. My Death, Your Life

Hello there. I would like to say that this the first time I'm writing in the Harry Potter fandom. I only written once for a different fandom so this isn't my actual first time writing. I hope you enjoy this. **Warning: If you do not like boyxboy, please leave.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter character or make any money out of this.**

Chapter 1: My Death, Your Life

Everything was going so well. If not, it was completely perfect. Though Harry has his doubts on the word 'perfect'. Things like that doesn't last long. He knew, learned, and experienced it. Yet, he couldn't help it. With a quick flick of Sirius' wand, Lucius Malfoy blasted back from them with a simple spell. Harry and Sirius had their own celebration amongst themselves in victory. Again, not everything last for long.

In the corner of his glasses, he saw Bellatrix emerging from the black poof of smoke. Her stance and wand ready for casting the final spell made him uneasy. Her clear target was Sirius Black nevertheless. While Sirius continued with their conversation alone, Harry made his move. He pushed his godfather, making the wizard crash and fall to the ground.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" She shrieked.

A blinding green light emitted from her wand. The beam led straight to Harry's back and everything went green. Sirius' eyes widened and he cried out his name in pure horror. Alas, it never reached to the Chosen one. Bellatrix pulled back her wand as she watched the boy's body drop to the ground. A bubbling happiness form in her stomach as she realized her accomplishment. She waved her wand, smiled, and hopped in a circle.

"I did it! I _killed_ Harry Potter! I killed him!" She sang.

Sirius quickly moved to his feet as he rushed over to his godson. He shook him lightly and called his name repeatedly. Unfortunately, Harry wasn't showing any signs of moving. And his skin was becoming paler and colder as he held him. The godfather softly settled Harry back down and stood up, taking hold of his wand. His blood boiled from the sight of his cousin's rejoice. He sharpened his glare.

"Don't think you'll get away!"

"Oh...? My little cousin is upset because of a filthy half-blood? You are pathetic Sirius Black!"

"I won't be once I take vengeance!"

Bellatrix stopped her hopping. Though she kept her wide grin. She held her head high and grin growing wider. Sirius took it as an invitation to battle. And that's what he exactly did. With the flick of his wand, a beam of light blasted out of his wand. He soon rejoined with the other Order members to defeat the Death Eaters. As for Harry's friends, they were kept hidden. So they didn't see Harry's death.

"Give it up! Now that he is gone, it's over! Over!" Bellatrix screamed.

"It's not over till I say so!" Sirius shot back.

The battle raged on and Sirius felt nothing but frustration. Amidst of the battle, the wizard felt someone pressing against his back. He made a sharp turn and the other did the same. Sirius and Remus has their wands at each other's throat. The two pulled back and silently joined forces. Bellatrix was screaming out spells and a Death Eater was doing the same.

Just when Sirius and Remus were about to cast a protection charm, the enemy pulled back. Death Eaters, including a reluctant Bellatrix, used apparition. The lots of them disappeared in a stream of black smoke in retreat. The only Death Eater left behind was a knocked out Lucius Malfoy. Sirius gritted his jaw tightly, feeling utterly useless. Remus dropped his hands to his side, feeling the same as Sirius.

"We can at least say everything is fine. Where's Harry?" Remus asked.

Sirius' body tensed up at the mere mention of Harry. His dear friend probably didn't see what had happened only moments ago. His tighten jaws loosens to form words. Alas, it quickly tightened again when he heard a bloody cry coming from near the Veil. The two adults turned their heads towards that direction. Hermione was clinging to Ron's chest as he comforts her.

Ginny wasn't doing any better. She was sobbing loudly on Harry's chest. Neville was standing beside her with his head down. Remus jumped in motion as he ran over to them. Sirius did nothing to stop him. He merely relaxed his tensed shoulders and looked at the other direction. He couldn't bare to see any more of it. Somewhere in the cries and sobs, he could hear Remus doing the same as he called Harry's name. Moody was behind Sirius with his head facing down.

"The boy is dead..." Moody said with dread.

As realization hit him before, Sirius dropped to his hands and knees. His wand rolled only a few inches away from him. That day, Sirius never recalled a day like that when he was completely and utterly saddened.

* * *

After the announcement of the Chosen One's death, things changed. The Ministry of Magic is taking action to arrest the Death Eaters and searching for Voldemort. And thankfully to Dumbledore, Sirius Black was free from crimes that he never committed. That, however, didn't change the man's recent moods. Nor did it changed anyone else's.

The Weasley family are emotional struggling. After Ginny and Ron returned home, Molly was flabbergasted. It was her husband, Arthur, that had to take the job of telling the story. Apparently he caught wind of what happened in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. And she hadn't caught up with the latest news with the Daily Prophet. When she did, she bursted into tears. To her, losing Harry was the same as losing any of her children.

As for weeping and crying, that's the only thing Ginny does nowadays. She cries at mornings and nights. Even at the slightest things that makes her recall of Harry. The female redhead hardly eats. No one was sure if she even slept for the past few weeks. She always kept herself in her room, locked.

Ron wasn't doing any better. He is always seen wandering around the Burrow, empty minded. Someone had to constantly repeat his name just to finally get his attention. If not, he has mental break downs on occasions. Like his sister, he doesn't eat. Whenever he does, his mother had to force it down. Hermione comes over to the Burrow sometimes to grieve with him.

"Why did it have to be him?"

That's what normally comes out of Ron's mouth. That only caused Molly's sadness, Hermione's discomfort, and Ginny's raging cries.

* * *

"I made some stew for you. Eat it now before it goes cold." Remus informed.

Remus was making a short visit to Twelve Grimmauld Place. Since the Battle, Sirius decided to actually lock himself in the House of Black. That's the only thing he does that concerned the werewolf to no ends. His dearest friend would sit in his room in front of the fireplace. And, during the night, he would wander about in the house with no thoughts at all. Also, the only thing that can go down in his stomach was any whiskey, rum, or any alcoholic drinks.

"If Harry was here, he would want you to eat something..."

Remus hated using the 'if Harry was here...' card. Sirius' body stiffened as he leaned back against the armchair. His nails dug harshly against his palms, leaving crescent marks. After a few moments, the wizard stood up from his seat and went with his friend down to the kitchen. The smell of freshly made stew entered his nose. Sirius' appetite was gone in seconds.

"Sit down. I'll get a plate for you."

And that's what he did. Sirius took a seat at the end of the table, drumming his fingers on it. He felt most of his sanity slipping right through him. The sound of his fingers drumming the table made one of his eyes twitch a bit. And the silence. He hated that damned silence. He should have gotten used to it by now. Yet, with recent incidents, it was bothering him.

"Here... It'll warm you right up."

Remus settled a plate with stew in front of him and sat at the right side. Sirius picked up the spoon that was already in the food. His hand was getting tensed and his stomach made him want to push it away. The godfather ignored it as he ate a spoonful of stew. Remus watched from the side. It was saddening to see his close friend behaving like this. Not as much as how his heart broke the day Harry died.

"You know Sirius... Tonks and I thought it was time to plan the funeral... For Harry..."

Remus bit the insides of his cheek. He knew that it was inconsiderate of him to mention that to Sirius. However, he had to. The sooner he brings closure for everyone, the better. Sirius slowly puts down the spoon on the plate. He stared at the stew darkly and muttered something under his breath. The werewolf shook his head in disapproval. He had to use reason on Sirius to see his point of view.

"It's been weeks since we lost Harry. And I think he would want us to move on..." Remus stated.

"I don't care. We are not doing the funeral. And Harry is **not** dead." Sirius hissed.

"You're just saying that because you haven't accepted it. You just need closure."

"I don't want no bloody closure! And if you want to take Harry, you'll do it over _my_ dead body."

Remus laced his fingers together in front of his lips. He knew Sirius would react like that. He just wished he didn't though. Sirius' clenched fist clash together with the table. The wizard ignored the pain surging through it as he now glared at his best friend. Remus only returned it with a firm stare of sympathy. Sirius turned away from it and stood up from his seat, forgetting about the stew.

"I'm going to bed. I don't want to be disturbed for today."

With that, Sirius took off from the kitchen and went upstairs to his bedroom. Remus dropped his head in disappointment. That didn't go as well as he planned. Well, nothing goes according to plan if Sirius Black is in a foul mood. James would know that at best. Remus stood from his seat and took the plate of stew to his possession. He sighed as he figured out the food he made was already cold.

"I suppose he isn't sleeping alone."

There was another reason as to why he thought it was best to plan the funeral. It was more for Sirius than anyone else. Since Harry's death, Sirius developed a _habit_. A habit that troubled Remus' thoughts. His friend rejects the whole idea of Harry being dead. He was insisting that his godson was asleep. And, at times like these, he would visit the 'special' room and talk to the corpse. The worse part was that the only time he could sleep is with Harry. Remus shook his head in disappointment.

* * *

Sirius softly closed the door and made way to the large bed. The conversation was still clear in his head and he was fuming. How dare Remus come in and say what he said. Closure? He didn't need any of that rubbish! Sirius ripped out a book from the shelves and transfigured it to a chair. He settled it to the side of the bed and sat down. The wizard sighed tired.

"Remus came over. You should have been there. The nerve of him. He says that you're dead! But you're not!"

On the bed laid the corpse of Harry Potter. The body didn't move nor responded. Sirius shook his head as if he gotten an answer from the silence. He continued on with his ranting about not needing closure and refused to arrange any funeral. It was already bad enough that he had to stay in this bloody house that he hates the most. And now his friend came along and wants to rip his godson from him. No, that isn't going to happen. Not when he's alive.

"If only he understood. You're just asleep. Maybe in a coma even. And you'll wake up. I know you will."

Sirius smiled at his words. He ran his hand through Harry's hair and pulled the strands aside. If his godson wasn't asleep, he would agree. He would even be happy if he knew someone is waiting for him. It was better than grieving over the fact that he's dead and he's most definitely isn't. Sirius lowered his head down and gave the cold body a kiss on the cheek.

"No matter how long, I will always wait for you, Harry."

Sirius stood from his seat and turned it back into to a book. Once that was done, he slid onto the bed and pulled the covers over his body. He took hold of the body and embraced it. During the time he was with Harry, he thought he should do this every chance he gets. Since his godson is 'sleeping', it was best to keep him warm. Tears slowly formed as it stung his eyes.

"You're just fine. Nothing is going to happen, I promise. So please wake up soon." He whispered.

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed that. Bye bye for now till the next update.


	2. Taste of Death

Hello and welcome to another update to this story. Hopefully this interest you in some possible way. Anyways, before you read, keep in mind that this chapter contains **spoilers** for the _Order of the Phoenix_ and further on. If you have not read it and want to later or don't want to see a spoiler for it, please do **not** read this chapter. However, if you have read the book (or watched the movie) or don't care about getting spoilers, please continue to read this chapter. Thank you and please enjoy.

Chapter 2: Taste of Death

Harry groaned as he slowly sat up. The first thing he saw was white. Completely white. When his eyes refocused, he could only take in his surroundings. And it looked rather like King's Cross Station. But it was much cleaner and very white without the trains. He stood up the best he could, afraid that he might fall if he did it too quickly. As curious as he was, Harry began to wander around the area. Yet, everything looked the same if he looked at it.

"Where am I?"

"It's Limbo from what people call it. But 'He' likes to call it the 'Choice'."

Harry quickly turned around to see Cedric Diggory standing behind him. The former Hufflepuff student smiled softly at the boy. Harry, flabbergasted, ran to the wizard and hugged him tightly. Half of him felt great joy to see a friend yet another felt guilt. He couldn't forget the fact that he was the reason Cedric Diggory was dead. He pulled back from the other and smiled softly in return.

"It's great seeing you Cedric. How have you been?"

"Well, I suppose. I've met your parents. Great people I must say. Now, let's get down to business."

"Business? What business?"

"More of a choice really. Whether you want to return to the living or go on with the dead."

Harry blinked at that. Even though he knew that he's dead, it was still hard to adjust to it. The Boy-Who-Lived nodded his head slowly. Cedric merely chuckled and pat him on the shoulder. He further explained that he's only here to keep him company. That is until 'He' shows up. Harry raised a curious brow up in confusion. He wasn't used to things like this anymore. Like Voldemort's 'You-Know-Who' or 'He Who Must Not Be Named'. It was too much of a hassle, really.

"We, us ghosts, call him 'He'. In your case, he is Death. Running a bit late today too." Cedric commented.

"Death is coming to see me?"

"Yeah. Something about conditions. Apparently, you're not meant to die yet. Your godfather Sirius Black was supposed to."

Harry's eyes widen at the information. His godfather, Sirius Black, was the one that was supposed to die, not him. The very thought made him tremble. Part of him was glad that he prevented a death from occurring. Yet, saddening that if it wasn't him, it would have been Sirius. And he couldn't bear to lose someone important to him. Cedric returned his hand back to his side as he smiled once more.

"Don't feel too bad. Dying isn't always that bad either. You're just sleeping. And it's painless most of the time."

"Cedric... About your... You know..." Harry paused.

"It's alright. It was bound to happen eventually. Mine was just early. Ah, Death! You're here!"

Harry turned behind him to see a figure dressing in a long dark fabric with ripped edges. The being was standing tall with pride as 'He' looked down to Harry. It reminded the boy of a Dementor. And that frightened him a bit. The cloaked being waved it's skeleton hand at Cedric, dismissing him. Cedric, getting the hint, nodded his head and turned to Harry with a smile.

"Well, I'm not needed anymore. I'll see you when it's time."

With a reassuring wave, Cedric vanished. Harry gulped silently as he turned back to Death. He didn't know what to do in these sort of situations. Luckily enough, he thought he wouldn't need to and it never crossed his mind at all. Harry shifted his body slightly under Death's dark gaze. The dark figure lowered himself down, allowing his ripped cloak to touch the ground. He moved a little too close to the boy's liking. With a thorough check up, he moved away just as fast as coming close.

"So... Death... Cedric said you had something to tell me."

_"Yes... You are Harry Potter... I have heard a lot about you. A pity to see you here..."_

"Well, it was bound to happen, I suppose. But I have a choice. My death was a mistake, isn't it?"

_"Mistake indeed... Sirius Black was meant to be here. Not you. You changed his time and I am not very happy about it..."_

Harry silently gulped a lump in his throat. That isn't something anyone would want to hear. What would happen _if_ a person was daring enough to make Death 'not very happy'? He wasn't too sure and he is hoping that it wouldn't come back to haunt him for the rest of his life. Death crossed his arms and shook his head. That wasn't too good either. Harry fiddled with his fingers, trying to figure out what to say. Yet, his mind is completely blank.

_"This makes my job harder to handle. But what is done is done. So, I am giving you two options. Choose wisely."_

"And what are my options?" Harry asked.

_"To return to the living world or to move on like your friend... However, if you choose to return, I have a job for you."_

"A job...?"

Death nodded his head slowly. With a wave of his skeleton hand, three objects appeared in a line. The first one is a wand. It looked long and particular with carvings that resemble clusters of elderberries running down its length. The next one is a stone. It was small and black that shaped like a diamond. And the last one is a cloak. This one Harry was familiar with. The cloak twirled softly, vanishing and reappearing. That is the Cloak of Invisibility. However, that was the only thing that he recognized.

_"Are you familiar with these items that appear in front of you?"_ Death asked darkly.

"Only the cloak. I had that in my first year at Hogwarts."

_"I see... These items before you are called Deathly Hallows. Each created with my power... Under certain circumstances..."_

"How come you're showing me this?"

With a swift movement, the three objects disappeared. Harry blinked at the action. Death pulled back his hand and moved it to his chest. The wand reappeared in his skeleton hand. The wand glowed brightly of golden color. The other hand moved to his stomach and the black diamond stone appeared. When that happened, images of his parents came into his sight. His father took the right side and his mother took the left. And finally, the cloak appeared above Death's head and lightly dropped on him. Part of his cloak disappeared.

_"My creations led men to their downfalls. And I think it is time to put an end to it. I want you to gather it and return it to me."_

"So all I have to do is collect those? It can't be too hard."

_"Finding them is only the beginning. Returning it is not as simple. I am Death. I do not _appear_ for just anyone..."_

"So I have to die again?"

Harry frowned at the thought. Just when he is given the chance to live, he has to die just as fast. Not only that, he still has to deal with Voldemort and Death Eaters. And he has to add finding these objects on his to-do list. The worse part is when he does find it all, he had to die again just to give it back to it's creator. Death shrugged his shoulders as the items disappeared again. That included his parents. He once again cross his arms against his chest.

_"That is up to you. Dying is one way to contact me. However, if you do not want to take the job, you are to remain here and move on."_

"But I thought I get to choose if I want to live again or not."

_"To obtain one thing, you must give up the other. Now, what will it be, Harry Potter?"_

Harry didn't say anything. Everything that is happening right now felt so surreal. He sighed tiredly and said he would do what Death told him to. The cloaked being nodded his head. He raised his left arm up, making his body appear wider than it is meant to be. The insides of Death's dark cloak changed into something he didn't expect. An image of what he presume is his dead body and Sirius. That alone isn't what made him shocked. He never thought his godfather would share the same bed with a corpse. _His _corpse...

_"Fair warning to you, Harry Potter. Once you enter my cloak... Your body will change. Or, rather, react differently."_

"What do you mean 'react differently'?"

Death went into full detail of what it meant. Because of the incident, Harry did something he shouldn't have. He changed someone's time of death. And because of that, everything is out of balance. It would be hard to determine what fate had planned for him is still the same or if it had changed. And since Harry messed with dangerous business, consequences must be made. That would mean his body is going to pay the price for it.

It wasn't too harmful or dangerous. Though it's mostly based on how the person feels about it. Since Harry is responsible for changing Sirius' time, his body will emit a certain reaction. Whenever his godfather is around him, Harry will feel extreme sadness or something that makes him want to stay away from each other. And, if by any chance, they stay near each other for an extended period of time, his body will feel agonizing pain.

"So I can never be close to Sirius again? That isn't fair!"

_"Truly is... But there is one way you can remove the reaction. Though I don't recommend it... In your case, that is..."_

"Tell me. Sirius is the only family I have left. I don't want to lose him because of it."

_"Very well... To remove it, you must connect each other's body and soul. To make passion with one another."_

Before Harry could ask what that meant, Death rushed at him. He brought his cloak up and covered the boy with it. Everything went black after that. Death pulled away from the spot and dropped his arm to his side. The cloaked being shook his head. Hopefully, this doesn't cause him trouble later in the future.

* * *

Harry's eyes shot open as he silently gasped. The boy slowly sat up on the bed and ran his hand through his hair. His cold body warmed up slightly to adapt to the sudden change. When everything was straighten out and adjusting, he felt the bed shifting and an arm wrapping his waist loosely. His green eyes wandered down to the bed and saw his godfather, Sirius Black, asleep. The Boy-Who-Lived smiled before it instantly vanished.

_'My... My body... What's going on with my body?'_

Harry clenched his chest harshly. It felt like his heart was being pierced and breaking into millions of pieces over and over again. It didn't feel pleasant. That's when he recalled what Death said to him. He had to stay away from Sirius if he didn't want to feel this. And if he hanged around any longer, the pain would only get worse. Harry removed himself from Sirius and the bed, leaving the room altogether.

_'Sorry Sirius... I can't be with you right now.'_ Harry thought sadly.

* * *

I have to say that this is my most proof-read work. I lost count on how many times I read this to correct any possible errors. Hopefully, there isn't much that would ruin this story. So, I hope you enjoyed the story thoroughly. More will come if you wish to stick around. And thanks to _Accalia Silvermoon_ for reviewing. I really appreciate it.

Thank you for reading another chapter of _What Could Have Been_. I hope it still interest you. If you have made it this far, I want to remind you that this story contains possible spoilers throughout the chapters. If you do **not** want that, please stop reading this. If you do not care, I will update the next chance I get. Thank you and happy reading.


	3. Unexpected Reunion

Welcome back to another update. Hopefully, you enjoyed the last chapter and the one before that. So I'm going to go ahead and allow you to read the new chapter. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do **not** own Harry Potter in a possible way. I just own this story's plot.

Chapter 3: Unexpected Reunion

Harry was wandering around the living room of Twelve Grimmauld Place. The Boy-Who-Lived was trying to find ways on how to find the Deathly Hallows. He was thinking of doing it on his own. Alas, the thought vanished when he knew that there are murderers out there after his head that are looming around. Harry sighed tiredly as he took a seat. He didn't know what to do. He didn't even know where to begin on this 'quest' of his. The boy pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"What am I going to do?" He muttered.

His frustration changed to unnerving surprise. The front door made a small clicking sound as it opened. Harry wasn't sure who it was and that he should be hiding. Panicking in one spot, he automatically allowed his body to stiffen on that very spot. Remus entered the living room for his daily check ups on Sirius. Mostly to see if his friend is awake and away from his godson's corpse. His movements halted when he saw a familiar person's back standing in the middle of the room.

"Harry... Harry, is that you?" He asked.

The said boy tensed up at the mention of his name. Caught up in the moment, Harry made a run for it and rushed pass Remus. The werewolf soon caught on with what was going on and ran after the boy. He pulled out his wand and chanted the locking charm on the front door so Harry couldn't escape. Yet, that didn't stop the young wizard from running away. He went up to the hallway with the stairs that led up to the upstairs bedrooms.

"_Petrificus Totalus_!"

Before Harry could react, his body froze on the spot. His arms and legs snapped to his side as his body dropped on the stairs. His chest landing on the stairs first then his head. That is going to leave a mark. Harry looked at his side to see Remus standing next to him, saying nothing. The instant thought of continuing to struggle entered his mind. Yet, another said to give up since he was caught. His stare returned to the dark floors as he close his eyes.

"Harry..." Remus whispered.

* * *

Harry wasn't sure how long it was since he passed out. Everything that had happened to him was a blur. And his body felt tense for some odd reason. He slowly blinked his eyes open to see the same living room at Twelve Grimmauld Place. The fireplace was illuminating brightly with orange color glow. The boy looked around both his sides to see he was alone in the area. Harry slowly gotten himself up from the chair, planning on leaving the house altogether.

"I wouldn't suggest that, Harry. You need to relax before you leave." A voice said.

Harry snapped his head behind him to see Remus. The former DADA professor was leaning cooly against the wall behind him. The thought of running away again escaped his head. He doesn't need a repeat of what happened earlier. The Boy-Who-Lived stood tall with his chin held up, using the armchair for balance. What would someone do in a situation like this? Running around was crossed off. Remus looked at him sternly as if it was a sign he wanted answers from the boy.

"There's not much time for me. I need to leave."

"You can leave. After you answer my questions."

"I don't have time for that. I need to leave. Now."

"Then at least wait for Sirius. Do you know distraught he is?"

Harry turned away from his disappointed eyes. He knew and he doesn't have the will to see his godfather. Even if he could, he still couldn't. The boy's grip on the armchair tightened as he glared at the wall at his right. Remus shook his head and walking over to him. The action caused the boy to flinch. Remus stop midway, his hand halfway outstretched. In the end, he brought his hand back to his side and stood where he was.

"Let him think I'm dead. Bring him closure... I won't live for long either way."

"I can't do that when you _are_ alive. And what do you mean, 'I won't live for long either way'?"

"Exactly that... I don't want Sirius to know I'm alive to only to think I could die the next day."

"You're going to die? Harry, can you explain to me what is going on?"

Harry dropped his head sorrowfully. How do you tell your parent's best friend that their son is going to die again? Because he doesn't have the faintest idea. The burning wood in the fireplace crackling under the heat filled the silent room. The little light it gave to the dark room couldn't help Remus identify the boy's current emotion. Being able to see how this situation will end would be a miracle. The former DADA professor softly cough to catch Harry's attention.

"I met Death. And the only reason I'm alive is because he gave me a job." Harry whispered.

"Death...? What job?"

"I have to find the Deathly Hallow."

"Deathly Hallows? What are those? I can assure you that such things aren't real." Remus denied.

Harry shook his head. He explained that it is real and that he had to find it and return it to Death. He quickly explained that once he finds it, he has to follow certain requirements to return it to it's creator that involves his death. That was the only way he knew to contact Death. And he already has one item in his possession. He just needs to find the other two.

"That's completely unimaginable. Stop this rubbish and wait for Sirius."

"It is not rubbish! If it were, I won't be alive. I would be dead! And you know it!"

That cause Remus to stop on his tracks. It never occurred to him that it was strange. Harry James Potter, meant to be dead, is alive and standing right in front of him. The entire thought of it was completely bizarre. A dead man was to remain a dead man. But that's just for any ordinary person. He has to remember that Harry isn't just any ordinary person.

"I didn't expect anyone to see me. I thought I could get away..."

"It's a bit late for that. But since your plan is spoiled, will you see Sirius?"

"Bring everyone... You and Sirius shouldn't be the only ones to know."

* * *

Remus passed on the news of an Order meeting at Twelve Grimmauld Place. That was the simplest part. Getting everyone to come was the issue. Even Sirius refused to take any part of it. Since Harry's death, it was caused many to lose hope. Especially with the rising in power with Voldemort. And Harry wasn't just their last hope at turning the tables. No, he was their friend. In general, the Order were splitting apart. They knew that in their previous meeting.

The tension building up in one small room is suffocating. That was just the minor part. When they were together, they all shared the same thought. Harry is dead. And no one could say anything about it without causing an emotional scene. They couldn't say 'since he's gone, what are we going to do?' or 'we are fight a losing battle now that he's dead.'. No one could say that. And it was already too late for that.

And, yet, it was odd for all the Order members. They showed up at Twelve Grimmauld Place and are waiting for the meeting to start. The Weasley family were scattered around making it much fuller in the room. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are sitting at one corner of the room, silently grieving amongst themselves. Arthur and Molly sat at the other end, whispering to each other about why they're here. Fred and George were sitting at the table, fiddling with their wands and passing short witty jokes.

'Mad Eye' Moody was sitting near the window close to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He was muttering to himself as his one robotic eye scanned the room lazily. Kingsley Shacklebolt was standing only a few inches of him with his arms crossed against his chest. Bill and Fleur were also sitting at the table, holding each other for comfort. Tonk was standing next to Remus as he stood near the door. Finally, after much blackmailing, Sirius was standing in front of the fireplace with arms crossed against his chest. He didn't look too happy to be there.

"I call you all here for an important meeting. But it's more of a reunion I might say." Remus started.

"We don't need a reunion of any sort. If this is a waste of time, we might as well leave." Moody hissed.

"Remus, if this is about the funeral, I've told you numerous times. I will not allow it." Sirius added.

"There won't be any need for that now. This person you will meet is important to all of us. I will get him."

He took a step away from Tonks and exit the room. It soon filled itself with whispers and murmurs. They were getting curious of who this mysterious person is. They quiet down when Remus reentered the room, asking Tonks to step away from the door. She did as she was told and went to the table. Apparently, the person was becoming hesitant about revealing himself. Remus spoke softly, saying that everything is going to be okay. When the door whipped open, no one saw this coming.

At the other end of the door was Harry James Potter.

"Harry..."

That was the only thing they could say. The boy stood tall with what seemed like pride. The first to react was Ginny. She snapped out of her shock and rush towards him for an embrace. Harry returned it by hugging her. She wept on his shoulder between relief and joy. Ron and Hermione soon came after to join Ginny. The adult stood aside for Harry to catch up with his friends. He pulled away from Ginny and looked at everyone in the room. He could see Sirius at the corner of his eye.

"I'm back." Harry smiled.

* * *

That is the end of this chapter. I apologize if this is getting boring. But the story is almost getting to the fun part. I hope you will stick around longer for that to happen. Thanks to: **Accalia Silvermoon** and **tigerlily003** for reviewing the last chapter. Speaking of that, I doubt that there are going to be that much reviews coming in. So, instead of reviews, I'm asking for favorites and followers for this story. Those are appreciated, and if possible reviews, so do that. Until the next chapter.


	4. Getting Down to Business

Hello readers. I apologize for the slightly late update. Hopefully, this will satisfy you for today. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do **not** own Harry Potter in any way, shape, or form. Warning: Spoilers for _**Order of the Phoenix**, **Half-Blood Prince**, and **Deathly Hallows**. _And male-male relationship. If you do not like it, please stop reading and press the back button. Thank you.

Chapter 4: Getting Down To Business

The reunion between the Order members and Harry was hectic. It was hard to talk to so many people at once. He was thankful that Moody stepped in to have them back away from him. They all settled on going into the kitchen and have lunch. Mrs. Weasley offered herself to cook something for them all. Harry sat at the middle with his friends surrounding him. Sirius was sitting at the end of the table with Remus and Kingsley near him.

"Harry, this is incredible! We thought we lost you in the Department of Mysterious." Ron exclaimed.

"I won't lose that easily. It would take a lot more to bring me down." Harry joked.

"But really, tell us. You were supposed to be... you know, dead. But you're not. What happened?" Hermione asked.

Harry went into deep thought. He could feel everyone's eyes on him. The only ones that are talking freely was him and his friends. The adults would either keep to themselves or whisper in conversation. They all gave their full attention on Harry and what he might say. The boy had a tough choice between telling the truth or lying. He laced his fingers together as he leans forward on the table. No good would come if he lied.

"It's rather complicated really. When I 'died', I met Cedric... He was there to keep me company..." Harry started.

"Cedric...? As in Cedric Diggory that passed away last year?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, him. We were waiting for Death apparently. I was told that my death was a mistake and I was given two options."

"Options? What were they, mate?" Ron stepped in.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and listened very carefully. Harry could almost hear the water boiling in the pot and sizzling noises from a pan. Despite it not being official, it felt like an Order meeting that he was never allowed to participate in. He looked at his joined hands and sighed. The memory of it was fresh in his head.

"Either I return to the living or move on with the dead."

"Of course, you chose returning to the living. That's why you're here." Ginny added.

"Yeah, but there was a catch to it." Harry said with dread.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"I have to find these things called '_Deathly Hallows_' and return it to Death."

Harry's friends stared at him in disbelief. But he didn't care. It wasn't their problem to deal with, it was his. Ron leaned back on his chair, sighing. He turned to Harry and said that he was at least thankful that he got his best friend back. Harry pushed down the feeling of saying something to retaliate. Like a 'not for long' or 'I'll bet a galleon that I don't'. But he didn't do it. Hermione was giving him a skeptical look that said he wasn't telling them more about the situation. Ginny was giving him the same look.

"Lunch is ready everyone!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed happily.

Harry was relieved that Mrs. Weasley stepped in when it was getting awkward. He wouldn't have known what to do if she hadn't. She enchanted the plates to float to each of them and drop down. The smell of spaghetti entered his nose as he looked down. He picked up a fork close to him and ate. He just needed a chance with Hermione and Ron alone. They should know what is going on. And they're his closest friends. They will help him with some wisdom.

He couldn't afford anyone else getting involved with him.

* * *

Harry was back in his assigned bedroom with Ron. Hermione was with them after he excused himself from the kitchen. His two friends followed him right after. They were discussing about what was going on when Harry was 'dead'. Apparently, Hogwarts is temporarily closed and sent everyone home until they can arrange the proper burial for him. And since Sirius was against it, it was taking a bit longer than usual. But it was thanks to Sirius' insanity that Harry could return to them.

"Dumbledore will get a letter about this from one of the Order members. He probably doesn't know." Hermione informed.

"And that is saying something. He knows almost everything that is going on." Ron added.

"Yeah... I just hope the media doesn't find out so quickly." Harry mumbled.

"The media should be the least of your worries. You-Know-Who thinks you're dead. That's an advantage for us." Hermione added.

That was true. As of now, they have the element of surprise on their side. They could continue on with the enemies thinking the 'Saviour' is dead. The only issue is actually the media. If the Daily Prophet or any reporter get their hands on his return, it won't be good. Sometimes, he _really_ hates how famous he is. The room became silent. They have nothing else to talk about. Harry coughed to get their attention.

"About what I said earlier... In the kitchen... There's more to the story about my 'catch'.

"And what is that?" Ron asked.

Harry told them everything. He explained that his death was a mistake. And that Sirius was the one that was meant to die. And his job to find three items that Death made called Deathly Hallows. And once he finds them, he has to die in order to return it properly. During the explanation, he told them about his body's reaction to being near Sirius. The two of them stared at him in disbelief. They didn't seem to believe him at first. He wouldn't either.

"Blimey! If it wasn't true, I would've thought you went bonkers." Ron commented.

"You might as well think I am. I just don't know what to do. How am I going to find these Deathly Hallows."

"At least you know you have the Cloak of Invisibility. But these Deathly Hallows sound awfully familiar..." Hermione wondered.

"The Tales of the Three Brothers!" Ron exclaimed.

Ron had this look that said he won a million galleons. Apparently, there was a story written about these items that Harry had described. Everything matched up perfectly: The objects itself, the abilities it holds, and having Death as it's creator. It made sense to him finally. He explained that it was a story for teaching wizarding children about morals. There were three main characters: Three brothers in total.

Three brothers were on a journey that led them to Death. Apparently, they were supposed to die at a river that no one could cross. Being wizards themselves, they easily formed a bridge to cross over. However, Death wasn't too happy with it. So he thought he could trick them. And that's how the three Deathly Hallows are formed. A wand that is unbeatable with a changeable wielder called the Elder Wand. A stone that can bring back a form of a dead person called the Resurrection Stone. And the final piece, a large cloak that hides it's wielder, even from Death, called the Cloak of Invisibility. And that's the one that Harry currently possesses.

"Bloody hell Harry! I couldn't believe that the story is real! It's real!" Ron exclaimed.

"Of course it is real. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be looking for them." Harry retaliated.

"Since we agree that it's real, where do we find these things? Did Death give you a hint?" Hermione questioned.

"What do you mean by 'we'? There isn't a 'we' this time. I'm doing this on my own."

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry, hurt. Hermione spoke up her protest that he couldn't do this alone. And Ron jumped in to say that they're a team and will remain that way. Harry shook his head, saying that this time he's doing it alone, and crossed his arms against his chest. He had a stern look on his face that Ron and Hermione couldn't argue against. Though they still want to continue their protest on their friend running off on his own.

"Harry, I know you're doing this for _our_ own good... But, please, for my sanity, take us with you! One of us even!" Hermione insisted.

"No, my decision is clear. This is something I have to do alone. I'm sorry."

"You're bloody mad! I know this is could be your 'shining moment', but really! You could die out there without us! Tell him, Hermione!"

"Wow, I'd never thought that my friends doubts my ability to survive on my own. Thanks..." Harry grumbled.

Ron quickly defended himself by saying that he wasn't implying it like that. Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's attempt to convince Harry on his comment. She dropped one hand on his shoulder and sighed tiredly.

"Since you made up your mind, we can't do anything about it. But promise us that you'll be safe?" Hermione asked.

"Don't worry, I will."

Hermione nodded her head briefly. She slowly removed herself from the bed and excused herself out of the room for an early sleep. She requested the two of them to do the same since they're, oddly enough, going to be busy making some arrangements for the Order members. And they need as much rest they can get. Harry agreed with her when she was no longer in the room. Ron eventually did the same since he had nothing better to do.

They went to their original bed and pulled on the covers. Harry brought his blanket up to his nose. He couldn't stop thinking about Death and their early conversation. He can still remember the cloaked being standing over him gloomily, skeleton hands occasionally showing. And he could never forget the voice. It sounded rather haunting and cold. Similar to whispers that Harry doesn't want to hear. He closed his eyes tightly, forcing himself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Harry woke up the earliest. He could still see Ron sleeping on his bed, muttering for spiders to get away from him. Harry removed himself from his bed and went to freshen up. With his teeth brushed and clothes changed for the day, he went down stairs to get some breakfast. He could still hear Ron yelling 'run' in his sleep as he left the room.

Apparently, Harry seems to be the only one awake. He looked around on the first floor to see if anyone is up. Alas, there is no one. He sighed tiredly and went directly to the kitchen with the intention to eat. It felt rather odd for him to eat again. Just yesterday, he was dead. Now, look at him. He opened the refrigerator and scanned the available food. Luckily, Mrs. Weasley was kind enough to store food for them. He shrugged his shoulders as he pulled out the orange juice and poured it for himself.

Almost on cue, someone entered the kitchen just before Harry took a sip. To his unfortunate, it was Sirius. Harry moved quickly on his feet and put back the juice into the refrigerator and scurried off with his drink. Though Sirius had other plans.

"Harry, can we have a moment?" He asked.

"Uh, sure. But can we make it quick? I want to wake up Ron and play wizard chess with him."

"Don't worry... I won't take long."

"Okay..."

Harry kept his eyes locked on objects around the kitchen. He wouldn't dare look at his godfather now. He couldn't risk of feeling his heart crying out in pain again like last time. And, as he recalls, the sensation isn't something you want to have a second round with. Sirius gave Harry a stern look before he spoke.

"I'm not sure if I finally lost it, but... Have you been avoiding me lately?"

"No, I haven't. I just don't have enough time to spend with you."

"What about now? We could do something until the others are awake." Sirius insisted.

"Sorry, I can't. I'd love to, but can't. I want to send an owl to Professor Dumbledore about my... 'Return'..."

The sickening feeling of his chest in pain made Harry wince a bit. Though, Sirius didn't seem to notice. Harry merely took a sip of his juice, thinking of a way to leave without hurting his godfather's feelings. Though, there wasn't much of an option really. Sirius nodded his head slowly before dismissing Harry to do whatever he planned on doing or whatever that he does.

Harry didn't look back. He just kept running ahead without looking back. He, while being near the man, didn't look at Sirius and didn't felt the agonizing pain that follows. That gave him the hint that as long as he doesn't look at Sirius, the pain doesn't come. Just as long as he doesn't acknowledge his godfather as much. Though, he didn't see any bright side to it. He actually really hates it. Sirius watched his godson scurry off out of the kitchen. He sighed.

"He's acting... Odd..."

* * *

Two days have passed since Harry spoke with Sirius. He wanted to pat himself on the back for his ability to avoid his godfather for so long. Though, he doesn't want that. Because the long hold on his funeral, students of Hogwarts were sent home and missed their final exams for next year. That ― after realization ― caused Hermione to go into shock. And she was hoping to do the exams. Ron was saying different.

So Dumbledore is ordering the Head of House to write letters to each students to give them their grades of their overall performance of each subject. Harry would suspect that they would argue against doing extra work, but they don't seem to have much of a choice. And it was today that he received one of those letters along with Ron and Hermione.

_Dear Mr. Harry J. Potter,_

_ Because of recent incidents, students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could not take their __proper examinations. The examinations that you have missed __are__ called O.W.L.s: Ordinary Wizarding Level. So, instead of taking it this year, we will round up your overall performance in each classes and give you your grade that is best suited._

_**Head of Gryffindor's House**_

_**Minerva McGonagall**_

Harry looked over to Hermione and Ron to see reactions. Hermione was trying to read hers through closed eyes. Ron was quickly skimming through the parchment before howling over his good grades. Harry unfold further down of his parchment to see his grades. He sighed in relief at his decent grades. He passed Defense Against the Dark Arts with an Outstanding. Exceeds Expectation for Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration. Acceptable for Astronomy. Poor for Divination. And Dreadful for History of Magic.

Ron had already went over to his parents to show them his grades. They quickly congratulated him with praises. Hermione was smiling over hers and refold the parchment, humming to herself. Harry felt the same as the rest of them and wanted to show Sirius. Though, he stopped himself on the very thought. He couldn't do that. Sirius was near the three Weasley and would occasionally pass side glance at him. He would hoping Harry would share the same experience with him.

Instead of that, Harry refolded his parchment and stuffed it back into the envelop. He went back upstairs for the day to spend some time with Hedwig. Though, he did that with the intentions of keeping away from Sirius, there was also an extra letter that he thought he should be alone to read. Hedwig cooed from her cage when she saw her owner entering the room. Harry pulled out the second parchment.

_Dear Harry,_

_ I was just informed from Remus Lupin about your sudden 'return'. I and the rest of the Hogwarts staff would like to welcome you back to another year at Hogwarts. But there are some serious matters I would like to discuss with you. One would be the pursue of an old colleague of mine. I will be coming for you at 9 July at eleven o' clock. More of the situation of other things will be explained to you when you return to Hogwarts. Enjoy the rest of your summer at Twelve Grimmauld Place._

_Most sincerely,_

_**Albus Dumbledore**_

Harry raised one of his brow. He was curious as to why Dumbledore needed him to pursue anyone. Though, he doesn't have the energy to deal with it. And if anything happens, he could voice out his thoughts when he's with the wizard next time. He pushed the parchment back into the envelop and jumped on to his bed. He sighed tiredly as he looked around his room. If it wasn't for this 'reaction' he would have spent every minute with his godfather. Alas, that too is a distant dream.

* * *

Hopefully, you enjoyed the story. I will immediately begin writing so the wait will be shorter next time. Thank you for reading this and your time. See you all in the next update.


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